This invention provides a method, system and apparatus for controlling mobility on a wireless network, which includes retrieving a network mobility preference, the network mobility preference indicating a level of mobility service for the mobile station, the level of mobility service indicating the extent to which the mobile station can handoff among base stations of the wireless network, and establishing a level of mobility service for the mobile station based on the retrieved network mobility preference. The method and apparatus may further include determining the level of mobility service for the mobile station to be fully or partially restricted based on the mobility preference.
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1. A method of limiting mobility provided to a mobile station by a wireless network, the method comprising: when the mobile station moves from a first service region served by a first base station to a second service region served by a second base station in the wireless network, preventing, by a processor coupled to the wireless network, hand-off of the mobile station from the first base station to the second base station based on at least one mobility preference of the wireless network, wherein the at least one mobility preference comprises rejection of all handoff requests from the mobile station; enabling network re-entry of the mobile station in the second service region served by the second base station.
A wireless network controls device mobility by preventing a mobile device from automatically handing off from one base station (first service region) to another (second service region). This prevention is based on network preferences that can completely block all handoff requests from the mobile device. When the device moves to the second service region despite the handoff block, the network allows it to re-enter the network in that second region. The network uses a processor to manage this handoff prevention and re-entry process.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first service region is served by a first plurality of base stations including the first base station, wherein the at least one mobility preference comprises partially restricted mobility, and wherein the mobile station is permitted, by the processor, to hand-off between base stations of the first plurality of base stations based on the partially restricted mobility.
Building upon the method of limiting device mobility where a handoff is prevented between base stations and the device is allowed network re-entry, this enhancement applies when the first service area has multiple base stations and the network mobility preference is set to "partially restricted mobility". In this case, the mobile device is permitted to handoff freely between base stations within that first service area, but is still prevented from handing off to a base station in the second service area based on the "partially restricted mobility" setting. The network processor manages these rules.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobility preference comprises rejection of a request to hand-off the mobile station from the first base station to the second base station.
Expanding on the core idea of limiting device mobility by preventing handoff, the network mobility preference specifically involves rejecting a handoff request from the first base station to the second base station for the mobile device. When the device attempts to transition between base stations, the network denies the request to handoff to the second base station, based on the network's preference for restricted mobility. The device will then need to re-enter the network when in the second service area.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobility preference comprises rejection of a request to hand-off the mobile station from the first base station to the second base station, and wherein the rejection is sent to the first base station.
Adding to the concept of rejecting handoff requests, the network mobility preference rejects a handoff request from the first base station to the second base station, and that rejection is explicitly sent back to the first base station. This provides feedback to the originating base station that the handoff is not allowed based on network mobility policies. The device will then need to re-enter the network when in the second service area.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling network re-entry of the mobile station in the second service area served by the second base station comprises: receiving, by the processor, a request for re-entry of the mobile station in the second service region; and sending, by the processor, a response permitting re-entry of the mobile station in the second serving region.
To enable the mobile device to re-enter the network in the second service region, the network processor receives a request for re-entry from the device itself. Then, the processor sends back a response that allows the mobile device to re-enter the network. This establishes a controlled way for the device to reconnect after a blocked handoff attempt.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling network re-entry of the mobile station comprises: receiving, by the processor, a request for re-entry of the mobile station in the second service region, wherein the request for re-entry is received from the second base station; and sending, by the processor, a response permitting re-entry of the mobile station in the second serving region, wherein the response is sent to the second base station.
In order to enable the mobile device to re-enter the network, the network processor receives a re-entry request from the *second* base station (the base station in the new service region). After the processor receives this request, it sends a response back to the *second* base station permitting the device's re-entry. This means the second base station facilitates the device's network re-entry after a blocked handoff.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling network re-entry of the mobile station comprises: receiving, by the processor, a request for re-entry of the mobile station in the second service region, wherein the request comprises a context request; and sending, by the processor, a response permitting re-entry of the mobile station in the second serving region, wherein the response comprises a context response.
When enabling the mobile device to re-enter the network, the request received by the network processor is a "context request" (a request for the device's network context). The processor then sends a "context response" that permits the device to re-enter the network. This uses a context request/response mechanism for the re-entry procedure.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein enabling network re-entry of the mobile station comprises: receiving, by the processor, a request for re-entry of the mobile station in the second service region, wherein the request comprises a location update request; and sending, by the processor, a response permitting re-entry of the mobile station in the second serving region, wherein the response comprises a location update response.
For enabling mobile device re-entry, the request received by the network processor is a "location update request" (requesting an update of the device's location). The response the processor sends back is a "location update response," permitting re-entry. This implements a location update mechanism for re-establishing the device's network connection.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless network is an IEEE 802.16-compliant network.
The method of limiting device mobility by preventing handoff and enabling network re-entry is specifically implemented on an IEEE 802.16-compliant network (WiMAX).
10. An apparatus for limiting mobility provided to a mobile station by a wireless network when the mobile station moves from a first service region served by a first base station to a second service region served by a second base station, the apparatus comprising: a wireless network interface configured to receive messages from the wireless network and send messages to the wireless network; and a control module coupled to the wireless network interface, the control module being configured to: prevent hand-off of the mobile station from the first base station to the second base station based on at least one mobility preference of the wireless network, wherein the at least one mobility preference of the wireless network comprises rejection of all handoff requests from the mobile station; and enable network re-entry of the mobile station in the second service region served by the second base station.
An apparatus controls mobility in a wireless network. It has a network interface for sending/receiving messages. A control module prevents a mobile device's handoff from one base station to another based on network preferences that block *all* handoff requests. When the device moves to the second service region anyway, the module allows the device to re-enter the network in the second service region.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one mobility preference comprises partially restricted mobility and when the first service region is served by a first plurality of base stations including the first base station, the control module being further configured, to permit the mobile station to hand-off between base stations of the first plurality of base stations based on at least the mobility preference of partially restricted mobility.
Building on the apparatus that prevents handoff and enables network re-entry, this adds the scenario where the first service area has multiple base stations. If the network preference is set to "partially restricted mobility," the control module permits the mobile device to handoff between base stations within the *first* service area, but is prevented from handoff to another service region.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one mobility preference comprises rejection of a request to hand-off the mobile station from the first base station to the second base station, and the control module is configured to send the rejection.
Building on the apparatus that prevents handoff, the network mobility preference involves rejecting a handoff request from the first base station to the second base station, and the control module is responsible for sending that rejection message. This means that the apparatus actively denies the handoff attempt.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one mobility preference comprises rejection of a request to hand-off the mobile station from the first base station to the second base station, and wherein the control module is configured to send the rejection to the first base station.
Building on the apparatus that rejects handoff requests, the control module sends the rejection *specifically to the first base station*. This provides feedback to the original base station that the handoff is disallowed according to network policies.
14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the control module is further configured to: enable the network re-entry of the mobile station in the second service area served by the second base station by receiving a request for re-entry of the mobile station in the second service region; and send a response permitting re-entry of the mobile station in the second serving region.
Building on the apparatus that prevents handoff and enables network re-entry, the control module enables network re-entry by receiving a re-entry request from the mobile device. Then, the module sends a response permitting the re-entry.
15. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the control module is further configured to: enable the network re-entry of the mobile station in the second service area served by the second base station by receiving a request for re-entry of the mobile station in the second service region, wherein the request for re-entry is received from the second base station; and send a response permitting re-entry of the mobile station in the second serving region, wherein the response is sent to the second base station.
Building on the apparatus, the control module enables network re-entry by receiving a re-entry request from the *second* base station, not the mobile device directly. Then, the module sends the response permitting re-entry back to the *second* base station. This means the second base station is acting as an intermediary.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the request is a context request, and the response is a context response.
This apparatus manages mobile station (MS) mobility within a wireless network. It includes a wireless network interface for communication and a control module. When an MS moves from a first service region (served by a first base station) to a second service region (served by a second base station), the apparatus's control module prevents a standard hand-off. This prevention is based on network mobility preferences, specifically by rejecting all handoff requests from the MS. Instead of hand-off, the apparatus enables the MS to re-enter the network in the second service region. This re-entry process involves the control module receiving a **context request** from the second base station regarding the MS's re-entry. In response, the control module sends a **context response** back to the second base station, which permits the MS to re-enter the network in that new service region. ERROR (embedding): Error: Failed to save embedding: Could not find the 'embedding' column of 'patent_claims' in the schema cache
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the request is a location update request, and the response is a location update response.
In the apparatus for controlling device mobility, the re-entry request from the second base station is a "location update request," and the response permitting re-entry is a "location update response". This uses a location update procedure to facilitate re-entry.
18. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the wireless network interface is IEEE 802.16-compliant for operation with an IEEE 802.16-compliant wireless network.
The apparatus described above uses an IEEE 802.16-compliant network interface to operate with an IEEE 802.16-compliant wireless network (WiMAX).
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one mobility preference comprises load of the wireless network.
In addition to the mobility preferences, the method of preventing handoff is also based on the current load of the wireless network. So the handoff can be restricted based on network congestion.
20. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein at least one mobility preference comprises a load of the wireless network.
In addition to the mobility preferences, the apparatus also limits handoff based on the load of the wireless network. So it considers network congestion when deciding to restrict handoff.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein at the least one mobility preference includes allowing handoff when one or more of the bases stations initiates the hand-off request.
The method of limiting mobility involves allowing handoff when the base station initiates the hand-off request, meaning that the mobile device is only restricted from initiating handoff but not from being handed-off when requested by a base station.
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November 15, 2011
May 9, 2017
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